#26 - Marion knows that the bridge on her usual route is closed

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation

Flaw in the Reasoning. The correct answer choice is (D).

Answer choice (A):

Answer choice (B):

Answer choice (C):

Answer choice (D): This is the correct answer choice.

Answer choice (E):

This explanation is still in progress. Please post any questions below!

[gabgie7]

I worked this question and got D as the correct answer but am not completely confident in how to support D - it was mostly that the other answers weren't correct.

When looking at this stem, I created the following diagram:

Arrive to work on time Leave 45 minutes early OR take train

Contrapositive: NOT 45 minutes early AND NOT train NOT Arrive to work on time

Since she is going to the bank, we know she won't leave 45 minutes early. The flaw I prephrased is that the author assumes that since she hates taking the train, she cannot take the train and thus cannot avoid being late for work.

I am not sure a better way to put D into common English that matches that prephrase - it treats evidence that Marion will go to the bank as though that excludes her from taking the train? But the flaw is in assuming because she hates the train she cannot take the train?

Hoping for clarity!

[Dana D]

Hey Gabgie,

The stimulus states Marion's neighborhood bank will not be open in time if she leaves 45 minutes early for work. As a reader, we then assume that in order to be on time and go to the bank, she must take the train. However, the conclusion states that Marion hates taking the train and therefore cannot avoid being late for work.

The conclusion assumes that Marion will not take the train based on the evidence that she hates doing so and it excludes that possibility that Marion will take the train and hate it and be at work on time. That possibility is the 'alternative course of action' that is possible and it is the flaw in the argument, because there is a way for her to avoid being late for work.